Dumb Gunstore Questions You've Heard?

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Where I work there are penty of questions. I don't mind at all the ones that are asked in a quest for knowledge. Most customers leave pleased, and some actually buy something. I really object to 3 attitudes:

1. I don't really know what I want, tell me everything there is to know about everything you carry, and then I'll make up my mind whether I want to buy anything, and whether I can get a better price somewhere else.

2. I want the best there is, but I don't know what it is, so show it to me, and whatever you ask for it is too much.

3. I know more about this than you do, and I'm asking you all these complicated technical questions to either start an argument or belittle you and inflate my own ego.
 
First of all, ditto Spreadfire's post to the T....Sounds like, I dunno, EVERY gun show we have had a table at!!!

My favorite anecdote:

*ring-Ring*

Ordnance, this is James, how may I help you?

Hey man! You guys got that gun from Scarface?

*Long Pause*...Sir, I can sell you an AR-15 similar to it.

Look jus like it?

Yes sir, very similar.

Oh Man! How much does it cost!

Anywhere between $600 and $1500, depending on what you want.

Awright! With the grenade launcher and Sh*t?!! When can I get it?

*Click*


Also a favorite:

Excuse me, I'm here to return this 226DAK in .40 you sold me? (FWIW - it was loaded...)

After reprimanding him for bringing a loaded gunHas it been fired?

No. (It had not)

Sure, then. And for what reason will you be returning it?

Well, I was talking to my homeboy, and he said that a Beretta is better than a SIG, and that a gun with a hammer is better than a double action only.


I ???? you not. Who was this homeboy? Exactly that. No military or LE experience, no retail experience...nothing. I did not want to discuss the merits of trigger mechanics with someone who was bent on what his 'homeboy' told him, although he incorrectly referred to a DAK as a DAO.

C'est la vie. Customer service has it's ins and outs.
 
Yes, the intention of this thread was at humor, not meant to disparage unknowledgeable customers. I answer all questions respectfully. Still, you must admit that, on occasion, one can't help chuckle at things.
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Fair enough. I will admit to sharing some of my customer calls with co-workers and friends over a few drinks at the bar after work.

I just felt that a lot of the "stupid" questions provided were good examples of questions asked out of ignorance.

Like this one WA provided:
1. What caliber is that 45-70?
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How many times to people refer to their rifle or handgun by the caliber rather than the actual name? Someone who does not no any better may very well assume based on hearing other people talk actually believe the rifle is called a "45-70" and not realize 45-70 is the name of the ammo it shoots.

And this one:
"I need ammo for my son's .22. I see all you have out here is .22 Long Rifle . Where is the regular .22 ammo?"
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Anyone who never bought .22 ammo before probably never heard of .22 long rifle or .22 short. Because everyone calls .22 long rife..... ".22's"

There really is not a lot of places for people to learn about firearms and ballistics. Sure you can pick up some magazines or books but most novice shooters would not even know where to start. Just walking into a gun shop for the first time can be very overwhelming. Most people hear stuff from other people who don't know any better and can't tell the difference between bad info and good info. Maybe there is a Shooting For Dummies book out there but I have not seen one.

You would think that asking someone behind a counter at a gun shop would be a good place to start. You guys are the front line to the world of shooting. You may very well be the first person someone approaches about information on guns and ammo. That person probably does not even have enough correct information to know how to ask a legitimate question.

I will step down from my soapbox now. Sorry for not taking this thread in the spirit it was intended to. It’s just that seeing how experienced shooters treat new/novice shooters at times has become a bit of a pet peeve of mine.

Although I will have to admit this one from WA is funny
15. Well this here 30-06 is an awfully big gun here, dont know if my wife (whose usually there rolling her eyes) can handle the pain?
Me to wife: You have any kids?
Wife: I have 6
Me to Husband: You think your wife cant handle recoil? Tell me there dude, ya ever pooped out an eight pound watermelon? Think you could handle that?
Wife to me: Got a 338?
Click to expand...
 
3. I know more about this than you do, and I'm asking you all these complicated technical questions to either start an argument or belittle you and inflate my own ego.
Click to expand...

Even in a world of perfect customer service there is always an exception. Back at the computer help desk we were allowed to drop this type of customer.

You can't help/please everyone. Just keep an eye out for those that really do want to learn.
 
I don't mind questions asked honestly. In fact, I welcome them as they give me the opportunity to dispel many of the myths and urban legends associated with guns. What really cheeses me is when you just spent five minutes explaining away a myth to someone and they come back with, "...but my Uncle Joe said something else?!". Nothing personal, buddy, but your Uncle Joe is an idiot. My other peeve is spending time getting someone on the right track only to have some spit drippin' camo laden beer-bellied mall ninja (SDCLBBMN) come over and directly contradict me with some outlandish version of a popular myth. Usually something like "Ma'am, with your inexperience and your desire for a simple bedside gun for protection, I would recommend a small frame double action revolver chambered in .357, but loaded with .38 special. It is simple to operate and care for, easy to shoot, and gives you the ability to upgrade to more potent ammunition when you feel comfortable." Over comes the SDCLBBMN waddling at flank speed and spouting something like "She don't need that little pop gun. Here, sister, you need something like this here HK in a real caliber like .357 Sig." :banghead:

Brad
 
Another famous one in my past: A young man, early twenties, asked a co-worker "Do you have any Batlaths?" Several of us pooled our knowledge and decided a Batlath was a two handed sword or knife used by Klingons in the Star Trek TV series. The co-worker passed the customer off to me, I responded with, "Yeah, we had one around here but someone left the cloaking device on. Now we can't find it!"
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<best Larry White voice>
hey hey hey hey...
</best Larry White voice>

I've been looking for one of those for YEARS. Still am. No reason to belittle the man for looking for a fine piece of weaponry.
 
Stupid Question?

I know the old saying of "there's no such thing as a stupid question," however, as a teacher, I can say there is such a thing. The stupid question is the one that was just answered before you asked it and your asking proved you weren't listening.
 
Although there are many "stupid questions"; do you really think it is good for business and gun owners in general when you make smart ass comments like that to a potential customer/first time buyer? Especially when it is YOUR business. I'm sure that everyone here is an expert on everything.
 
I, like a suprising number of people here, work in I.T. 'Puters, ya'll. Help desk, for Uncle Sugar. Every 3rd day or so a certain Bird Colonel calls me and says "Griff, I locked myself out, can you reset my password?" I tell him that it must be his animal magnetism scr*wing with the hard-drive, and he goes away happy.

What, you ask, does that cute little story have to do with this thread?

Those durn newbies might not know the muzzle end from a hole in the ground, but it's in your best interest to be the person who takes the time to break the ice, educate them, and foster a good working relationship; else you'll soon be finding yourself posting about the injustice of Mega-Mart stealing your customers.


Edit: Oops, looks like Deamon beat me to it.
Rant Off.
 
Other ideas on how to annoy Ken

RINGRING

"Morning, Wild West Guns, this is Ken, how can I help you?"

"Hi can I talk to Artemis Gordon?"

RINGRING

"Morning, Wild West Guns, this is Ken, how can I help you?"

"Wild West guns? Dude, don't you have any modern stuff?"

RINGRING

"Morning, Wild West Guns, this is Ken, how can I help you?"

"Got any free samples? Like promo guns the factory sends you?"

RINGRING

"Morning, Wild West Guns, this is Ken, how can I help you?"

"I sent something off to Bear Coat and I heard you can help me."

RINGRING

"Morning, Wild West Guns, this is Ken, how can I help you?"

"Can you play Terrapin Station?"
 
i think people are right....don't belittle a guy asking questions. if that is the case then yes you will permanently lose business.

a little goes a long way. being patient and explaining things to people makes them not only more informed but more willing to go out of their way to buy from you, if not right then, at a later date when they're ready to buy, and for all future purchases too.

my examples i pointed out were ones that were not necessarily "stupid questions." to a person (either a citizen or a dealer) well-versed in NFA, they are obvious. however to the average gun owner they are not so obvious. i listed these to point out that a "dumb" question can be very relative. that being said, i always take the time to carefully advise a person on their questions because their question isn't necessarily stupid to them. making someone understand is more important.

believe me......gun owners don't like to be disrespected! :)
 
Most are curable ignorance, but I remember standing in a local shop one day when a guy came in with a Glock (19, I think) in his backpack. No holster, no box, just the gun. He put it down on the counter and asked the clerk, "yo, what kinda clip I need for this? You got bullets for this?"

Red Flag. I tensed up and moved out of arms' length, silently wishing I hadn't obeyed the store's "no loaded guns" policy.

The clerk took the gun, looked it over, and said (with a straight face), "man, this is one of those polymer Glocks. How MUCH did you pay for this?"

Homeboy: "Well, um, you know, I got it from...a friend."

Clerk: "Man, I wish I had friends like that. This here's a fine piece. Rare."

Homeboy: "So, you got stuff for it?"

Clerk: "For a GLOCK, man? No way, these things use HIGH CAPACITY mags, and there's that Assault-Weapons thing."

Homeboy: "Can I get something that'll work?"

Clerk: "No, man. I don't wanna go back to jail, if you know what I mean. You might wanna try an Army surplus store or something."

At that, the guy just took his gun and left, muttering under his breath. Turns out, they get that from time to time, and they just stall long enough to get a good picture of the perp on the store security camera.
 
When I was looking for a Ruger P90, from a shop owner:

We don't carry Rugers, there's no $300 gun that is any good.

Same shop, when I was trying to buy a Beretta O/U:

Shop owner; Let's see if it fits you, aim at my eye.

Me; Why, what did you do to me?

SO; Nothing, why?

Me; I only aim guns at things I want to shoot.

SO; Well I won't sell it to you if I don't know it fits.

Me; Goodby.

I bought a Winchester 101 Upland special for less money and they sent me a nice hard case and a wooden cased cleaning kit to boot. I got it from another dealer.

At another shop, I overheard a phone conversation where the clerk talked a customer out of buying a Ruger and talked him into shopping at another store.

One of the funniest was when I asked a clerk in a gun shop if they had any of the Ruger Gold Label side by sides.

We both had a good chuckle over that one.

DM
 
Another series of good ones.

A friend gifted me her dad's 1911. This one was made in 1913 and has the tankers holster and is in original condition, about 85-90% has the original grips and has never been refinished.

About 30 gun show vendors offered me $250 for it. I finally found one that offered $800. But it worked out, I was trying to get a value for her to give to the estate. She was happy when I told her that most of the dealers offered $250.


I took my oldest grand daughter to the range for the first time and we were picking out targets.

GD; "what about one of those?"

Me, astonished, and pleased; "you want to shoot at something that looks like a person?

GD; "YEAH!"

When we got to the line:

Me; "do you want to put my shirt on over your scoop necked t-shirt, you can wear it backwards."

GD; "No grand pa, that would look silly."

GD, after getting .22 case down her shirt and a nice little burn. "OOH, OOH, Ow, I think I'll take you up on your offer of the shirt."

I believe in letting people make their own decisions and mistakes, as long as it won't cause permanent, serious injury to them or others. In this case I was very proud of her, she put the pistol on the bench, muzzle down range, before commencing to do the dance.

DM
 
OK depsite the fact I was trying to be humourous, seems again that the "hey Im the customer and am always right even when I am an idiot crowd so lets be kind and help out stupid people" have got their panties in a bunch again....

So let me point this out.

I assume everyone understands bu my post that while I may think someone is a jerk off, I rarely tell them they are jerk offs...... ;) well most of the time.....

That being said, let me also note that I am not an expert on everyhting (beleive it or not)..however, when I am going to make a purchase OF ANYHTING I take the few, tiny, minscule moments required to familiarize myself with what I am buying so that I dont sound like an idiot when asking questions. I expect that most normal people should do the same....

I am not a teacher. Its not my job to teach folks how to brush their teeth and wipe their butts. A little preparation goes a long way.........ya have some intelligent legitimate questions, I am here for you....


"I sent something off to Bear Coat and I heard you can help me."
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Its probably in the shipment of guns I, as well as Weatherby, Les Baer and several other manufacturers send them regularly (and will continue to do so) :neener:

WildknowitallAlaska
 
Hey people, relax. Enjoy the humor in these posts. Again, I'm polite to customers, I answer their questions, and educate many of them. I'm glad they come in, I respect them, and they are my livlihood. Still, if ya can't appreciate a little humor sometime................

I'd set up at a gunshow. Had about 5 tables. Was selling the absolutely lowest priced 9mm ammo in the entire show. I was talking with a customer, when a guy down on the far end of my tables motioned me over. I walked the 5 tables over to him, and he holds up a box of the low priced 9mm ammo. He asked me, "How much for two of 'em?"
 
Erik F wrote:

"I remember standing in a local shop one day when a guy came in with a Glock (19, I think) in his backpack. No holster, no box, just the gun. He put it down on the counter and asked the clerk, "yo, what kinda clip I need for this? You got bullets for this?
.....

Turns out, they get that from time to time, and they just stall long enough to get a good picture of the perp on the store security camera."

If he is a "perp" what crime did he commit? Just wondering if he violated some law by carrying it in a backpack, without a holster, or a box?
 
Hey people, relax.​

Amen. These gunstore customer vs. gunstore owner threads always seem to get tense, but this one should have been an exception. I'm in the stupid gunstore customer category myself, but I don't mind being poked fun of.



If he is a "perp" what crime did he commit?​

Silly, he had a glock. Isn't that a crime?


Of course, my read from the context is that he probably picked up that glock with no down payment, which could be another crime.

patent
 
Same shop, when I was trying to buy a Beretta O/UShop owner; Let's see if it fits you, aim at my eye.

Me; Why, what did you do to me?

SO; Nothing, why?

Me; I only aim guns at things I want to shoot.

SO; Well I won't sell it to you if I don't know it fits.

Me; Goodby.

:
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That is actually a very common way for peopel knowledgeable about shotgunning to check the fit of a shotgun. I have seen it performed by very competant shotgunners.

he is probably on a shotgun forum somewhere using you as an example of dumb customer stories, such as this thread
 
trapperjohn,

Yep, I have heard this is common. But I refuse to point a gun at someone I don't intend to shoot.

I hope when he is telling the story to his buddies that he also tells them that it cost him over $1000 in sales that day.

DM
 
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